ClearSign eye™: pilot sensor

Clearsign Technologies Corp. has developed and tested a novel, capacitive based flame sensor for use on existing burners in a variety of industrial combustion applications including process burners, boiler burners and flares. ClearSign has developed two probe designs. The first probe design is compatible with existing burners and can leverage the existing flame rod port. The second design requires minimal modifications to the pilot mounting plate and has the additional capability of being removed without removing the pilot. Competing devices used for decades are frought with several drawbacks. Unlike a flame rod, the ClearSign detector is removed from the hot combustion environment, thereby exhibiting increased life, and is impervious to flase readings that are susceptible to traditional electrical, thermal, and optical strategies. Further, the technology can be extended to measure fuel-air ratio and other key flame "health" parameters. The new sensor, trademarked as the ClearSign EYE® , has been tested in various configurations, and under a range of operating conditions and disruptive events simulating real life situations known to degrade competing technologies. This paper discusses the engineering and testing done at ClearSign's R&D Center resulting in a new commercially available product.